Mid-winter contemplations.

Winter solstice is around the corner no? Back home it used to mean little to me apart from the fact that it's around this time all the tang yuan (汤圆) start rolling out, but now that I'm experiencing winter proper, the prospect of nearing the middle of winter excites me.

Why? Because I can't wait for the temperature to start rising again. Oh sweet equinox, ever to me posthaste.

This year hasn't been easy to say the least, having just weather through a break-up with someone I thought would be the one for my lifetime's worth. Nay, it seems.

Yet the pain makes the little nuggets of happy moments all the sweeter, now that I'm reaching a point of acceptance.

I've been listening to this humble tune of late:

Joyful listen to say the least. Simple, straightforward, yet so abounding in optimism.

I suppose part of why I resonate with it is the realisation of how little yet precious my smiles have been of late, given the circumstances. Mind you, 'tis not any big achievements that draw out my grin, but the simple gifts of my mundane experiences that do.

The view of the morning sun, hindered by nought a cloud... The taste of sweet lemonade when I thirst... A simple song to remind me to smile o'er simple things...

Hark, here's to the cheerier times past, present, and future.